Latest news with #TransportForTheNorth
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Unclear when Northern's reduced Sunday rail service will end
A rail service says it is unclear when it will stop a reduced Sunday service it has been running since late last year. Northern has been running fewer services in north-west England every Sunday since 22 December 2024, because it has not been able to find enough conductors to work those firm's managing director Tricia Williams told a Transport for the North Meeting on Tuesday the reduced service was "not what we all want" but did offer customers "predictability".Northern said it was still negotiating with National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) over Sunday working. RMT confirmed discussions were ongoing. The firm has previously said the problem it faced on Sundays was it was contractually outside the working week for North West services include routes from Barrow and Windermere to Manchester Airport, and from Barrow to Williams said the reduced service currently relied on volunteers. "The success criteria for us is about achieving a truly seven-day railway," she said. She said the aim for the company was to ensure no more than 2% of services were being cancelled by the end of 2027 and that 90% of trains arrived within three minutes of said it was conducting "detailed discussions with Northern Trains to bring together working practices for conductors from three legacy companies into a single, modern agreement"."The talks aim to ensure consistency, reflect advances in technology, and support reliable services throughout the week", a spokesperson proposals would be subject to government approval, they follows Northern being issued a breach notice by the Department for Transport (DfT) in July 2024 for cancelling too many trains.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Whitby group says walking and cycling plan essential for health
A new plan to improve cycling and walking infrastructure in Whitby is essential to overcome "massive problems" with transport and health, campaigners have proposals, aimed at attracting funding and increasing usage, were approved on Friday by North Yorkshire Jefferson, trustee of Whitby and Esk Valley Active Travel, said people were "taking their life into their hands just to get across roads" because of a lack of charity had campaigned for three years for the plan to be introduced, he said. As well as "massive problems with transport", there was a "coastal health crisis in this area," he added."We need to be able to get people fitter. It is going to help not just their physical health but their mental health."He warned that without necessary funding, the plan would remain "only a document", and that funds would need to be distributed "not just to the usual places like York, Harrogate and Scarborough"."It has to reach places like Whitby - we have the worst problems." According to a tool developed by campaign group Transport for the North, coastal areas were more at risk of "transport-related social exclusion".Mr Jefferson described this as "dependence" on certain types of transport, which some people may not be able to access, highlighting issues with rail and bus travel."If people struggle to get to the town centre or if they have a town centre completely overrun by tourism, then they don't feel part of a community," he added.A report for North Yorkshire Council indicated approximately 46% of people in the Scarborough Borough travelled less than three miles (5km) to work, suggesting potential to encourage greater levels of commuting by bicycle. The walking and cycling plan identified "those additional routes that can support the main routes to create a comprehensive network", according to the Local Democracy Reporting report also said: "There are several compelling reasons for government to invest in active travel infrastructure in Whitby."York and North Yorkshire's elected mayor David Skaith agreed with the report, and said he would "make the case" for increased investment. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
